


Surprises

by NikkiTe



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: College AU, M/M, Rare Pair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 13:56:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11487774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikkiTe/pseuds/NikkiTe
Summary: One shotOur boys are in college <3Hinata joins Ushijima's team and Ushijima realizes that he really can't keep his eyes off the younger boy.





	Surprises

Ushijima was a man who was so rarely surprised. In fact the number of times he was surprised was so few he could count it with his fingers in one hand. 

His first surprise came when Oikawa Tooru ignored reason and turned down his invite to set for the Shiratorizawa team. He still felt that was a strange turn of events. 

His second surprise came when he met Hinata Shouyo and the tiny boy with the hair that seemed more like sunshine than actual hair showed him that he was not the only person who could command the air in volleyball. 

His third surprise came when Hinata's team beat him for the Miyagi qualifiers. His third year, his fnal year in high school and he wasn't able to bring his team to Nationals. 

Apparently, more than fifty percent of his surprises seemed to involve that little boy from Karasuno, and it was a trend that didn't seem to want to end even if he was now in his first year of college. 

Today was the first official day of practice of the year for his college team. He was already in his third year and was focused on bringing his college team to the finals for the third consecutive year. 

Today was also the day they met the new freshmen who had come to join the ranks of their college volleyball team. 

He thought they had seen them all. Nekom's Lev, Karasuno's Tsukishima, and a handful of others whose names he didn't care to remember. 

But in the middle of practice, when everyone was already settling into their drlls, the doors slammed open and that familiar tiny crop of orange hair appeared in the gym. 

"Hinata Shouyo, first year!" he announced himself. 

Ushijima almost dropped the ball he was holding. Was the boy not going to stop surprising him?

He had seen his growth from a first year sapling that was impressive but could not survive without the support of his genius setter partner, to an amazing vice captain who supported their captain Tsukishima through their most difficult games against Aoba Johsai in Nationals last year. 

Hinata Shouyo was the Small Giant of this generation, no doubt inspiring more saplings to grow just like him. 

"Your favorite newcomer is here." 

Ushijma turned to the man beside him, Oikawa Toru, his team's main setter.

"He's not my favorite."

"He totally is," Oikawa said with a knowing grin as he effortlessly tossed the ball to their team's other wing spiker, Iwaizumi Hajime. 

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you can't take your eyes off him." Oikawa chuckled. "You attention is on him all the time even if he's not even included in a game."

"And your attention isn't?"

Oikawa chuckled once more and shook his head."When we're in a match yes. But you, your attenton is fully captivated. Case in point? Ushiwaka, since he's entered, you dropped your ball and you've been ignoring the signs Kuroo has been sendng you from the other side of the net."

Ushijima looked up at the net and sure enough Kuroo was glaring at him from the other side. "We can't practice our blocks if our spikers aren't spiking!" he was shouting. It was loud too. Huh, Ushijima really didn't hear anything. 

Oikawa grinned at him. "If you really want him, you gotta make a move. He parted ways with his setter to come to this university, Tobio chan is still pretty pissed about it too. "

Ushijima stared at Oikawa in silence for a while. "I`m a wing spiker, i can't support him the same way a setter can. He's grown much over the past three years, enough that he can work with any setter now. He can perform his best even if he doesn't work with his main setter."

Oikawa whistled and tossed another ball to Iwaizumi so Kuroo and his two freshmen middle blockers could do their practice while Ushijima was "Never heard you speak so highly of anyone Ushiwaka."

Ushijima looked down at his calloused hand and closed it tight into a fist. "I'm taller, stronger, bigger. Yet he's faster, he jumps higher, he sees more of the court than I do. Logic does not define him."

"Logic does not define you either, you monste... OUCH! IWA CHANNNNN!" Oikawa cried out, his voice raising an octave as the spiked volleyball landed squarely on his head. 

Iwaizmi ignored the whining and walked towards Ushijima. "While you were chitchatting, the coach has called for a break. He wanted to to include Hinata in our practice. Apparently he got delayed coming here because of some mix up with his classes."

"Late still means late."

Iwaizumi chuckled and placed his hand on Ushijima's shoulder. "It wasn't his fault, don't be so strict on him. Now come come, everyone's forming a line to welcome the new comer. "

Ushijima squared his shoulders and allowed Iwaizumi to lead him to the end of the line, both of them ignoring Oikawa. 

"Mou! Brutes Both of you!" Oikawa grumbled, stomping towards the front of the line. "How dare. I'm the captain here Iwa chan, if you've forgotten!"

"And the captain is making a fool of himself," Iwaizumi said dismissively. "Come on captain do your thing," he said as he tilted his head towards where the coach was standing, with Hinata by his side. "Everyone's waiting."

"Mou!" Oikawa stomped his foot one more time and then took a deep breath. He reached up to rub the forming bulge by his forehead and winced. He took another deep breath and pointed towards Hinata. 

"Hello chibi chan! Did you miss me???""

Kuroo rolled his eyes and raised his hand. "Already in college and still useless," he muttered. Then in a louder voice, "Hinata, as the vice captain of the club, let me welcome you properly." He smiled at the younger boy and spread his arms, ignoring Oikawa's yapping and addressed the team. "We already welcomed the other first years earlier, but it's never too late. Welcome to Meidai Universtiy's men's volleyball team!!!"

As expected, the boy's eyes widened and the smile on his lips could be compared to that of sunshine. He bowed his head low and said a loud "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!!" 

Kuroo smirked, speaking before Oikawa could recover his bearings. "You already know most of the people on this team, Captain is third year Oikawa, I'm vice captain. We have two main wing spikers, Iwaizumi here and Ushijima over there. You've gone against them both before, but we're all teammates now. Tsukki and Lev are fresh newcomers here like you. And we have Yaku san as our libero. The rest of the fourth years aren't here so we'll intrduce them to you next time."

Hinata raised his body as Kuroo introduced the members. "So many familiar faces!" he said excitedly. He may have grown a bit more in terms of height but he was still so easily excited. 

The elderly coach chuckled and nodded his head. "We've already done team practices so now we'll be doing pair practices.," he said out loud for the whole team to hear. Then he turned to Ushijima's direction and beckoned the older teen. "Ushijima, why don't you pair up with Hinata? We have pretty solid blockers on this team, I want to focus Hinata's training on attack."

 

Ushijima looked at the younger boy and couldn't believe the bright eyes that met his glance.

"Yororshiku onegaishimasu!!!!" Hinata exlaimed, louder than anyone expected. 

The corners of Ushijima's lips curled into a small smile at the boy's enthusiasm. "Show me how much you've grown then, Hinata Shouyo."

*

"You'd think he'd tone down his voice wth age, I guess I was wrong."

"I had to be with that ball of sunshine for three full years Kuroo san and now another four more years, you're only just starting so I don't really want to hear you complain about it"

Kuroo raised his eyebrow at his pair partner andboyfriend of three years - Karasuno's recent captain Tsukishima Kei. He had grown even taller and was now a full ten cm taller than Kuroo was. Really impressive genes.

"If I remember right, you relied on him a lot as your vice captain. And I quote you from Nationals, "Karasuno would never have gotten this far without our vice captain, since the start of our first year three years ago...."

Kuroo didn't get to finish his sentence as he dodged the ball Tsukishima threw in is direction. "Touchy," he teased, smirking at his boyfriend. 

Tsukishima was glaring at him in that Tsukishima way that if you didn't know the boy you'd think nothing was amiss, but Kuroo had been with him for three years, he could read his lover easily now. 

"Maybe I should have taken Akaashi san's suggestion and went to Toudai instead. Maybe it's not too late to work on the transfer papers since term has just started."

Kuroo laughed. "You wouldn't last one week playing with Bokuto though."

Tsukishima flinched. It wasn't Bokuto san's practice mode that he couldn't handle, it was his mode outside of. Besides if it was practice, Ushijima's spike and block practice was even more spartan, just less noisy. He hated to admit it, but as much as he wanted to spend more time with Akaashi, Kuroo was right, he wouldn't last a week with Bokuto hanging off him every day. 

"You wouldn't know," Tsukishima said bravely, trying to put up a front.

Kuroo laughed again, more becuase of Tsukishima's stubornness than of the threat of his lover actually changing universities. "You wouldn't last a few hours, if our last anniversary together was any indication." Kuroo reminded him with a sly grin.

THe freshman obviously shuddered this time. 

"Or should I remind you what he did when he found out you liked dinosaurs AND strawberries?"

"Shut up Kuroo san, I get your point," Tsukishima muttered as he turned his back to Kuroo to hide his blush.

Besides, he wouldn't last a week without Kuroo by his side. Kuroo would never know that though. Maybe he'll just show him tonight.

 

**

Hinata was a constant by Ushijima's side for the whole duration of practice. Even after the pair practice was over, the younger male seemed keen on staying within in his sights. 

Even when his position was no longer that of a middle blocker in this team, he focused on Ushijima's spikes. Perhaps he focused not to stop, but to learn from Ushijima. This theory was backed by the constant words of adoration that slipped from Hinata's lips every once in a while. 

"Amazing..."

"Awesome...." 

"Tsukki did you see that?!" 

It was a constant trail of praise that followed every move Ushijima made from his side of the net. Hinata praised his defenses, his attacks, his feints. He praised everthing and his eyes SPARKLED with interest and adoration as he watched Ushijima and although it was flattering for the wing spiker, it became distracting. 

So he thought to talk to the younger boy when practice was over and everyone had mostly left.

Thankfully, most of the seniors had left, and the juniors that remained were scattered across the locker room, leaving Hinata easy to approach. He assumed he was with Tsukishima since they were from the same schoo. But he was no where in sight. Where the blonde middle blocker from Karasuno had gone, Ushijima really couldn't bring himself to care. 

"Hinata Shouyo."

The younger slammed his locker door shut and let out a shrill gasp. 

How did his voice still get so high when he was already in his late teens?

Bright eyes peeked at Ushijima under long orange curls. "Sorry, you startled me," the younger mumbled, and Ushijima wondered if he was intruding. There was a soft pinkish hue on the younger's cheeks. Ah perhaps he was tired from training. He had assumed Hinata Shouyo had endless stamina, but maybe he had assumed wrong. 

"I needed to speak with you."

Hinata gave another undignified squeek and really Ushijima wondered if he was scaring him. Tendou did say he was overbearing most of the times. Plus his size difference with the freshman was glaring. Ushijima had grown some more after high school, and he had gained a lot more muscle. His arms were definitely more defined, and his abdominal and back muscles all stirred with the slightest of movements. He had grown. While, in his eyes Hinata had not. The younger had definitely gained a few inches on him, but with Ushijima's height and body, the diference was all too glaring. 

"What about Ushijima san?" Hinata asked, and Ushijima detected the tremble in his voice. 

Also, what happened to Ushiwaka and Japan? Hinata never refered to him by his proper name in high school, so why start now? In hindsight, he had avoided speaking Ushijima's name during practice too. 

Ushijma could see the rest of the players leave the locker room in his perpheral vision, he didn't need to avert his eyes from the younger. It was better like this, no one overhearing. The last thing Hinata needed was gossip. 

"You stare at me during practice. Why?" was Ushijima's question. 

To be honest, the only reason he caught Hinata staring was because he was staring too. But that wasn't the issue here. He got distracted by Hinata staring and he was sure that his stares didn't affect Hinata in the least. 

Hinata's eyes widened and he stared down at his feet, shuffling a little. 

"Your...your plays are amazing, your spikes, so much power and form. It's...it's just beautiful to watch."

Ushijima raised an eyebrow. "I'm a big man, hitting strong spikes is common for someone of my size."

HInata shifted some more. 

"Bokuto Keiji, even Iwaizumi Hajime, they both hit similaly to me. Not the same in power because I'm bigger. But we hit similarly don't we? What makes me different? I don't see you staring at Iwaizumi during practice."

He saw Hinata's shoulders jerk slightly but he didn't make a sound. It kind of worried Ushijima. 

 

The boy was not talking at all, and it was so different from his usual self. So Ushijima just thought to continue talking. 

"If there's anyone that deserves to be stared at in court, it's you."

This time, he finally got a response from Hinata. The boy's shoulders relaxed slightly and the bowed head was lifted and for the first time since he met Hinata, Ushijima saw uncertanty in those eyes. 

"M..me?"

Ushijima sighed. Was the ever confident decoy of Karasuno now having doubts about his skills? Ushijima had no doubt about his own volleyball skills,but he knew he was hardly the right man to be talking to an unsure freshman. Maybe Kuroo would do a better job at this.  
There's a reason he and Oikawa were the captains and vice captains even though Ushijima remained the ace. His people skills, unortunately, needed so much work. 

 

"You're small Hinata Shouyo." He saw him flinch at that. But he continued. "Yet you jump higher than any of us, you beat all of us when we were in high school. You, the smallest one among us, bested us in a sport where height is the key to victory." He watched the uncertaintly slowly disappear from Hinata's eyes. 

"If there is anyone here that is amazing, it is you." Ushijima reached out and placed his large hand on Hinata's head, ruffling the messy orange curls. "I don' know about others, but I cannot take my eyes off you when you play." 

Again, there it was, the pink tint on Hinata's cheeks turned even darker and Ushijima wondered if he did something wrong. 

"You.... you mean that?" Hinata's voice was really soft and Ushijima could barely hear it. 

"Of course." Ushijima threaded his fingers through the soft curls. He absently thought that they were softer than he had imagined them to be. "No one has captured my attention on court as much as you have."

"And.... and off court?" If Hinata's voice earlier was soft, this time Ushijima had to strain his ears to hear what he said. 

Oikawa's words came flashing back to him in an instant. 

He parted ways with his setter to come to this university

Your attention is on him all the time even if he's not part of the game. 

Why would it matter to HInata what he thought about him outside of volleyball  
?

"Does it matter?" Ushijima asked. 

Hinata nodded, his eyes moving down again. It was a dejected look and honestly Ushijima thought it was a look that least suited the younger boy. 

Ushijima's hand moved before he could think, and the fingers that were in Hinata's soft orange locks were now gently cupping his chin. Calloused finger tips gently rubbing over the smooth skin of Hinata's face. "Don't." He could see that Hinata was hardly breathing, his eyes blown wide. Ah perhaps he had crossed a line, but he had to do something to wipe hat dejected look off the boy's face. 

"Don't look so defeated. It doesn't suit you."

Hinata took a deep breath and Ushijima expected him to pull away. He even expected shouting, and maybe a punch somewhere. He didn't expect for Hinata to move his cheek closer. He didn't expect Hinata to rub his cheek on his palm.

He didn't expect Hinata to smile. 

He didn't expect Hinata to stay. 

"Hinata Shouyo?" 

His words seemed to snap Hinata out of it and the younger boy stopped rubbing his cheek on his hand. The flush on his cheeks turned even darker and really, was the boy sick??? 

Ushijima kept his hand on Hinata's chin and jerked his head to the side slightly, and then to the other. "Are you sick?" he asked. 

Hinata gave another squeek and said, "Im not! Why would you think that?"

"Your face is red."

That just made Hinata's cheeks turn redder. Really, Ushijima should perhaps study this someday, in his paper or something, on how the human skin could change color so much and how many shades of red was possible for the human face to turn into. 

 

Hinata tried to move away from Ushiwaka but the taller male's hold on his chin kept him in place and Ushiwaka could see him squirming again. 

"If it matters to you, then yes, off court too." Ushiwaka's voice was soft, the low baritone of it echoing softly through the now empty locker room. He felt Hinata tense more than he saw it. The small point of contact he had on his chin and cheek was enough to let him feel that. 

"W... why? It's because I'm your rival?"

Ushiwaka considered it. Rivalry. Perhaps.But it wasn't just that. Rivalry was what he felt when he knew they were of equal grounds. But he knew Hinata was more than that. He was like Oikawa, radiant and cheerful, and took full command on court. But unlike Oikawa, he was powerful and jumpy,like Bokuto. He was a wall when he wanted to be,much like Datekou. His focus rivalled Ushiwaka's yes. He was a combination of all the traits Ushijima found in a winner, in a great volleyball player, in players he himself recognized and respected. So no he didn't see how someone so much above him could be considered his rival. 

"Our styles are too different," he said instead. "How can I consider you my rival?" He saw the beginnings of a slump on Hinata's shoulders so he quickly added, "You are every good player I know and respect, put together. There is no way I can compete with that."

Hinata blinked and Hinata's mouth dropped open. "U...Ushijima san...what?" He shook his head, freeing it from Ushijima:s grasp and shook his head some to clear it. "You're the best player in the college bracket. You're the one everyone's eyeing to become pro! You're the best player in Japan right now! You're number one!"

Ushiwaka let out a low chuckle, a low rumble in his throat that resonated around the room. What normally wouldn't carry echoes, suddenly did because of the cramped walls and absense of other occupants. 

"The people who label me that have yet to go against you. I'm pretty sure they will change their minds just as quickly as I did." He looked down at Hinata and shrugged. "You didn't grow any taller,not by much and your body hasn't gained the muscle that most skilled spikers have. But you have, more than anyone else I know, the heart and the skills to overcome anyone who stands in your way. You have surpassed me Hinata Shouyo, a long time ago."

"Then...then ...not as a rival...then as what? Why would your attention be on me then?"

It would have been much easier for Ushijima to just say that he saw Hinata as a rival, and put an end to all of this, so they can go back to being regular teammates. But Ushijima was an honest man, and that was another thing Tendou used to say about him. Stubborn, hardworking, headstrong, bullheaded, simpleton, honest. 

"I honestly do not know why," the older man said and before Hinata could comment, he continued. "I watched your games, all of it. My eyes were never on your genius setter or your smart middle blocker. It was on you." He reached out and once again threaded his fingers through Hinata's hair. He could see the younger hold his breath, but without being stopped, he just continued. "I notice things about you that i do not in others. I noticed when you changed your shoe brand in your second year, when your hair got a little too long one season, when you outgrew your uniform and had to borrow your junior's uniform during one of the practice games." How could Ushijima forget? The way the black, sweat drenched, all too small uniform just clung to Hinata's body in ways that were obscene. 

"I noticed when you held back your tears and bit your lip till it bled when Tsukishima used his body to receive the ball Aoba Johsai's mad dog aimed towards you and he had to leave half the game to get his fingers taped." Ushijima's fingers caressed the soft hair once more, no longer seeking to calm, but to better express whatever this was that he needed to say. Because really he didn't know what directon this was headed. 

"I noticed when you and Kageyama have a fight. I notice when you sit on the benches and have that proud look in your eye when your freshmen hit a clean spike in. I noticed that limp you forced yourself to bear during quarter finals. I noticed the bruises on your arm from practice, even more than usual when you entered your third year. You see...I notice everything about you. Things I should not notice. Things that should not matter in a game. But I do. And you being here in this team has not changed that. I thought it might, that perhaps you were only really a ball of light and the television cameras just focus on you. But that has not happened. Instead..."

Ushijima took one step closer and he saw Hinata suck in a deep breath. "I noticed you more than anyone in this practice. My focus should be on the setter, the man who would bring the ball to me. But you.... I noticed everything Hinata Shouyo. I noticed more than i did when I watched your matches on tv." His hand gently moved through the soft locks, and down to Hinata's ear, gently caressing it and feeling how warm it had gotten. "That again, you changed the brand of you shoes despite the color remaining the same, that you 're wearing your socks just a little lower than before, that you would give a little fist pump whenever Tsukkishima got a block in."

Ushijima should stop, he was entering dangerous territory here. But he found that he couldn't. Hinata was in front of him, and despite his confusion, and despite his own lack of trust with his words, he forced his way through. 

His hand moved lower to cup and caress Hinata's cheek, feeling the smooth skin. "I noticed how much your freckles increased. I noticed when you looked at me, and i noticed when your eyes would sparkle when i got a clean spike in. I notice things in you that I should not, and that I do not notice for other people. And yet I do."

Hinata was still holding his breath and really Ushijima was just waiting for the younger to punch him in the face for touching him so inappropriately and run out the door screaming. 

None of that happened however. Instead, Ushijima felt the warm touch of Hinata's much smaller hand pressing over his. 

"I...that makes me happy Ushijima san," the shorter male said as a small timid smile spread across his lips. "I... I notice everything about you too...I thought it was weird. You were in a rival school and I shouldn't notice these things. But ... but i did and now i'm really happy that you do the same for me. I..."

"Oh for crying out loud! Just kiss and get it over wi....IWA CHAN!!!"

That was the unmistakable voice of Oikawa and the clashing that they heard afterwards was obvously Iwaizumi who was probably punching or dragging Oikawa away.

The clatterng of crushed cans echoed across the silent locker room. 

"Um... Ushijima san... you...you can let go of me now." Hinata's voice was hardly a squeak and when Ushijima looked down, he didn't realize he had pulled the younger man into a tight embrace. he had one arm arcoss his shoulders and had Hinata pressed tight against his chest. 

The logical course of action was to let the younger man go. But Ushijima's arm wasn't cooperating and the lack of fight from Hinata was worrying. Hinata wasn't pulling away, he wasn't pushing at Ushijima either. He was just pliant in Ushijima's arms and that made it harder to let him go. 

Ushijima looked down at Hinata and blinked when he saw the even redder tint on his cheeks, and his eyes flicked down to his lips. 

Perhaps he should take Oikawa's suggestion for once.

And he did just that, finally closing the distance between them and pressing their lips together in a soft chaste kiss. 

It didn't last for very long, nor was it the most passionate of kisses. But it was a kiss. 

And it was the first of many more if Hinata's arms winding around his waist was any indication. 

"You should pull away if this isn't what you wanted," Ushiwaka said. He surprised himself with how low his own voice got. His already deep baritone was made deeper with age, but now it was at a pitch he wasnt even aware of himself. 

The boy in his arms only wound his arm tighter around Ushiwaka's torso in response to that. 

".... since high school."Hinata mumbled against his chest, words muffled by Ushijima's shirt.

Ushiwaka blinked, he didn't really hear what the boy said, saying his words against Ushijima's chest. "Can you say that again? I didn't hear anything."

Hinata pulled his face back enough so that he was able to look up at Ushijima. The sparkle was back in his eyes despite the flush in his cheeks reaching an alarming shade of red in Ushijima's opinion. 

"I said, I've been dreaming of this moment since my first year in high school," the younger one said, voice trembling in what Ushijima hoped was happiness. He pressed his chin on to Ushijima's chest and smiled brightly at him. 

"You were so out of reach, so perfect, so good at everything, and I thought I would never have you," the younger one said quickly. "Coming to this school was a huge gamble, I didn't know if you had a girlfriend, Tendou san said you had a great many admirers. Also my grades aren't even that good and I owe Tsukishima like two month's worth of strawberry cake, but he tutored me enough to pass the entrance exam and now i'm here and happier than I could ever imagine myself to be." His smile became blindingly bright right then.

Ushijima couldn't help but tighten his arm around Hinata some more with that revelation. 

"You were the one out of reach Hinata Shouyo," he said, his voice still that low rumble. "And yet you're here with me... and I..."

"Look Iwa chan!!!! They need a room!!!! I'm not going to get in trouble because they choose the locker room to fuc....IWA CHAN!!!!"

Another slam and tumble of cans could be heard and then silence. And then there was a polite knock on the door. 

"I'm sorry if Tooru keeps disturbing you." It was Iwaizumi, voice low and held no judgment. "But we really do need to lock the locker rooms. I'll leave the key out here, but please lock up soon ok?"

"We'll be out in a moment," Ushijima said, no shame in his voice as he slowly let go of Hinata. 

He had his back to the boy so he wasn't aware of the slow creep of disappointment on HInata's features and how quickly it disappeared when Ushijima reached out to take his hand without even looking. 

"Let's go," Ushijima said as he tugged on Hinata's hand,urging him to follow. 

Again, he had his back turned and he wasn't aware of the huge smile and the look of pure happines on Hinata's face as the younger slipped their fingers together and said a loud and happy "Hai!"

Hinata Shoyo was indeed full of surprises and Ushijima knew that the surprises would never stop. 

He would love to have it continue.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on my mobile on a very slow day at work so I hope the mistakes are minimal ^^ 
> 
> If you enjoyed that, please leave a comment :))) if you want to chat, send me a message on Tumblr! http://tokitokinicole.tumblr.com


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